Manager

What do we offer?

We welcome Staff from a wide range of backgrounds.

Whether you are experienced, starting your career, want to change careers or are returning to working life, Journey might just be for you.

We offer:

• A competitive salary
• 36 days' annual leave
• 1 additional days' leave (pro rata) for each completed year of service, up to 10 additional days
• Holiday buy-back scheme
• 'Gifted' additional holiday days over the Christmas period
• Benenden Healthcare (private diagnostic and therapies healthcare including counselling)
• Discounted meals and free refreshments at our sites
• Cycle2Work Scheme
• Contributory pension scheme
• Enhanced Training & Development Programme
• Journey 'swag bag' goodies pack

Bank Staff - work when you want to

We have a register of Bank Staff who are offered occasional work covering when we have planned or unplanned employee absences.

Bank Staff are paid at the same Spinal Points as our employees, accrue their pro rata paid allocation of Journey's leave entitlement, and also enjoy the benefits of discounted lunches and free refreshments on our sites.

Bank Staff choose if they want to work when work is offered.

If you would like to join our Bank Staff register please contact us.

Salary: SP7 £36,023-(pre NVQ5) - SP8 £37,275 per annum (with NVQ5)

We are looking tor recruit a Manager with experience in the Training Sector, either in Adults (25+) or Young Adults services (16 – 24s). It is essential that the appointee is experienced in leading and managing Staff teams. We are not looking to shortlist Managers from Social Care domiciliary, residential or nursing care, or health backgrounds since we do not deliver personal care services.

Our Hub Managers sit in the Middle Management Team (MMT) and are responsible for management of their Hub premises, services, resources and Staff. Whilst Journey only delivers training services for adults with learning disability, Hub Managers must hold an NVQ5 in Health & Social Care in line with the requirements of the Health & Social Care Act as we are contracted under Day Services Frameworks (Local Authority).

As key managers in the Organisation, a Hub Manager typically manages a team of 10 - 15 Staff consisting of employees, volunteers and practice-based student placements. Staff roles encompass: Senior Learning Disability Skills Specialists, Learning Disability Skills Specialists, Drivers and Activities Specialists. We also host regular undergraduate and graduate student placements from a wide range of disciplines.

Hub Managers work with the Operations Manager to design and deliver programmes to develop Clients’ life and employability skills. Our Hubs accommodate people daily who have intellectual disability and complex needs and we deliver a varied programme of activities weekly both on and off site. Clients choose their activities to meet the needs set out in their Care & Support Plans or Education, Education & Health Care Plans or Continuing Healthcare Plans.

Journey’s Clients are funded by Local Authority Adult Social Care or the NHS and have an assigned Care Manager responsible for approving the Day Service Provider. Some families may also self-fund additional days in service.

Unpaid Carers (families) are involved in Care & Support planning and encouraged to attend Person-Centred review meetings, and other events, at Journey. We recognise and value the knowledge, expertise and role of unpaid carers and consult with Carers regularly as expert partners. We do not provide direct services, however, for unpaid Carers.

Hub Managers work collaboratively to develop enterprise and community fundraising initiatives, each providing opportunities for Clients to further develop their skills and service to the community, and for Hub Managers to build partnerships in their local area. These partnerships enable us to build resources, funding for services and opportunities for Client work experience. They also act as critical referral pathways for new potential Clients and volunteers.

Hub Managers are given an opportunity to take on whole-Company part-time responsibilities for which they are paid at SP9 (pre specialist qualification) or SP10 when qualified.

Hub Managers are the public face of their Hub and our liaison with Adult Social Care. They maintain regular contact with Care Managers and are encouraged to attend networking and provider forums externally whenever possible.

Whilst initially covering our Acomb and Blyth Hubs, our two smallest Day Centres, we we will be relocating our Acomb Hub over the coming 18-24 months. This is a long-planned move which will take this Hub closer to Newcastle. A key element of this role will be assisting with identification of suitable premises, visiting premises with the Operations Manager and overseeing the relocation to the new approved premises, following consultation with parent Carers, Clients and Commissioners.

Terms and Conditions

Contracts are offered on a permanent basis.

Employees are provided with 36 days leave/annum pro rata, a contributory pension scheme, a healthcare package, holiday buy-back scheme, length of service holiday accrual scheme, Cycle2Work Scheme, Salary and a Journey promotional items welcome pack. Staff are also offered discounted lunches and free refreshments.

The Charity operates between 08.30 – 16.30 from Monday – Thursdays and 08.30 – 16.00 on Fridays. All Staff who work for six hours continuously must take half an hour for lunch daily.

Your professional development

Find out how Journey can help achieve your goals

Journey Enterprises provides services which support adults with a learning disability to develop life and work skills and to manage their health & wellbeing.

We do not provide any personal care services and are not a Care Quality Commission regulated service.

All Clients must be able to manage continence and medication to attend Day Service.

Clients are on site from 09 .30 to 15.30, giving front-line Staff an hour pre and post Clients for preparation, reporting and clearing/cleaning.

Training and Development

Journey's Training and Development programme enables all Staff to develop their skills and practice and progress in their career. The Charity has training agreements in place and can advise on additional funding and scholarships for wider course fees.

Supporting our staff

Journey holds Disability Confident Employer, Mindful Employer and Better Health at Work and Leaders Council of Great Britain quality marks.

Our Staff are managed in small teams led by a Manager. New members of Staff are assigned a buddy who will provide information, advice and informal support.

Every Staff member receives 3-4 support & supervision sessions and an annual appraisal each year from their Manager.

The Charity has a commissioned private healthcare programme including counselling. This service is available to its employees 24/7 and their immediate family members. Our Line Managers are trained in supporting mental health and the workplace, to identifying and supporting employee carers and colleagues with disabilities.

We provide Carers and Disability Leave.

Connecting with Colleagues

Journey works across four sites and in the community. Making sure Staff meet regularly and keep in touch is a priority.

Our Teams meet every month and Hub teams have daily handovers. Whole Company, Managers and Leadership Team meetings are held bi-monthly.

Two Away Days are held annually giving everyone a chance to meet together, undertake some professional development in a fun and informal setting and meet our Trustees.

Special events and productions give Colleagues and Clients the opportunity to meet and enjoy time with others. During 2023 we celebrated our 40th year and had a wonderful Gala evening and summer fete for all Staff/ and Clients.

365 - Outlook, Yammer and Teams are used daily to communicate across the Charity, share news and best practice, and to link Staff to additional resources. All Staff are asked to login at the start of each day both to Microsoft and to our CRM, Charitylog.

Working patterns

The Charity’s normal operations are 08.30 – 16.30 (Monday – Thursday) and 08.30 -16.00 on Fridays.

Some Staff have site-based roles, some combine community-based roles with site-based delivery and some undertake flexible working from home.

The Charity has a ratio of Staff working part-time and we can offer job share.

Occasionally staff are asked to undertake unsocial hours at weekends, early starts or evenings, for which Time Off in Lieu (TOIL) is given. For part-time staff agreed overtime may be paid in place of TOIL.

Pay and benefits

Our benefits package: competitive rates of pay, generous leave allowance, employer pension, sickness pay, private healthcare, Cycle2Work, annual leave buy-back, discounted meals and refreshments and a Journey swag-bag.

“There is a genuine feeling of dedication and commitment around fun and a ‘can-do’ attitude.” (feedback from Staff during IIP inspection)

Eligibility to work in Social Care Services

Under the Health & Social Care Act, all Social Care workers must be qualified to work with vulnerable adults and/or children. If you are applying to us to work as a Learning Disability Support Worker with our Clients you must already hold, or be prepared to work towards, your NVQ 2 in Health & Social Care. Our Seniors take Level 3 Health & Social Care. Managers of Health & Social Care Services must have a Level 5.

This applies to all Bank and Agency workers who wish to work at Journey.

Overseas Students currently studying in the UK

You must be fully qualified to work in Social Care and have relevant professional experience, ideally gained in Day Services. Journey Enterprises does not provide any personal care services but skills development (training) services for adults with learning disability.

Unless you are on a suitable Graduate Visa, we are not able to accept applications for permanent posts at Journey from overseas students on study visas. A student visa restricts the type of work and contract you can apply for. This excludes all permanent, full time posts.

We are not able to accept applications for more hours/week than your study visa permits. For a postgraduate this typically is no more than 20 hours/week across all jobs you are doing.

We must be able to verify your full background: education, qualifications and prior professional experience, in addition to completion of an enhanced DBS check.